The 2016-2017 school year may have only just begun, but club sports across campus are already taking the field to begin their respective seasons.

When people think of club sports, they may think that they are nothing more than low competitive pick-up games that kids play whenever they please. However, club sports are actually extremely competitive in nature and are highly sought after by the student body. The Oswego State Club Lacrosse team in particular prides themselves on offering students the ability to play a sport in a way that is fun, yet intense, without consuming or demanding too much time from the player.

The willingness to provide students with an athletic opportunity such as this one stems straight from the organizations leader, President Chris Evans.

“I think club sports means a lot to this campus,” Evans said. “It gives students a chance to play a sport in a more relaxed, but still competitive manner, especially for kids who have never played the sport.”

Although Oswego State’s club lacrosse team does not kick off their schedule until spring of 2017, the team is chomping at the bit to get the sticks back in their hands and Ws in the win column.

But above winning, which is ultimately the teams main goal when they step foot on the field, the club lacrosse team’s biggest victory could be considered their uncanny friendship with one another.

“To me, club lacrosse is more of a camaraderie,” Evans said. “We have all these players who are genuinely all friends with each other and I think that transfers over to the field and how we play.”

This group of lax-loving friends has already been out slinging the ball around this fall and getting their feet wet to prepare for the spring season. This truly shows their love for the game and their desire to get better, which is not unusual at the club level.

No other level of competitive sports defines the true passion and love to simply play better than the club level. The Oswego State men’s club lacrosse team demonstrates just that.

However, even though the team prides themselves on friendship and the love of the game, winning remains the task at hand during the season.

The team is set to have a very successful season with many returning players as well as a number of new ones. One of the newest additions to the club lacrosse team is sophomore Chirstian Nairy, who worked his way into a starting job on Oswego State’s Div. III team toward the end of last season. Nairy, a meteorology major,  had to step down from the varsity level to focus on academics in his sophomore year.

“I’m very excited to be a part of the club team this year,” Nairy said. “I really enjoyed my time on the varsity team, but having the ability to compete at a high level and still have time for my rigorous studies is something that is a huge factor for me.”

Having the addition of a seasoned college lacrosse player, plus the addition of more new players as well, the team has plenty of fire power heading into the upcoming season.

But perhaps no player is more important to their success than the versatile returning goaltender from Pleasantville High School, Oscar Marchi.

“I can’t wait to get after it this season,” Marchi said. “We had a decent year last year but I think the potential for this year is even greater.”

Marchi was vital in the team’s success last season with many outstanding games between the pipes. Marchi won the Section I Lacrosse Championship in 2015.

Just like Marchi, the entire team is ecstatic and hope their work they are currently putting in pays off when the season picks up in March.